Around the Region

Habitat reach will be wider

Focus will extend to all of county

August 26, 2010

A charitable organization wants to reach out beyond Warren’s city limits, giving people in the rest of the county the help they need.
Priscilla Breese, public relations coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Warren County, said organization members are seeking property outside of the city with public utilities. She said that will serve as the location for a project which will enlist the help of Building and Construction students at the Warren County Career Center.
Rene Johnson, president of the local Habitat’s board of directors, said to this point all of the organization’s projects have taken place within the city of Warren. However, she said the upcoming project will not follow the same trend.
The past projects were located in areas with municipal services, Johnson said, which nullified the additional cost of an on-lot sewage system. Now, she said surrounding municipalities also offer those services.
Since the organization began local operations, Johnson said workers have built or refurbished five properties. A project on Carbon Place nears completion, she said, making the first location outside of the city the organization’s seventh.
“It will be simple and decent,” Johnson said. “It will add nice value to the neighborhood.”
Volunteers also have to travel to and from the site, Johnson said, which proves hard over long distances. During the upcoming school year, she said students at the Career Center will help build a house at the school before movers take it to an on-site foundation in a process much like the one used for modular homes.
During the two-year process of building the house, Johnson said workers will engage in site selection. In addition, she said the timeframe allows organizers to administer the application process for potential families.
“We’ll find a lot,” Johnson said. “The community has always cooperated in the past.”
According to Johnson, anyone interested in helping the organization can visit its website at www.habitatwarrenpa.org.